Combustible article or candle



Feb. 18, 1969 c. c. JOHNSTON ET AL 3,428,410

COMBUSTIBLE ARTICLE OR CANDLE Filed Sept. 20, 1966 RQ NW RXQ w 5 N MON T E NSL END V W wmH cJ 1/ I I W@ CT I, a i y B X 1 4 N I v M* Iv 1w ,1 (Y I I 1/ x K ATTORNEYS United States Patent 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Combustible article or candle comprising a heat destroyable container or drum which can be made of fiber and the interior of which is lined with a polyolefin film which can be of fire retardant grade, the drum then being filled with a combustible material which can be liquid petroleum wax. The top of the wax can be covered with vermiculite which is gelled across the top of the wax as it is solidified. The liner is one embodiment extends beyond the upper end of the container and may extend down to beneath the container so as to protect the bottom of the container from moisture when the container is placed on the ground. Also in an embodiment the container is treated with fire retardant material such as sodium silicate solution. The combustible material can also include chemically impregnated sawdust, wood chips, briquets.

This invention relates to a combustible article. More particularly, it relates to a combustible article suitable for heating, illumination, vaporization of chemicals, etc. One concept of the invention relates to a combination of a fiber or cardboard container containing a combustible material such as wax, the combustible material being separated from the inner container wall by means of a membrane suitable to prevent contact of the combustible material when hot, as when normally solid wax is molten, from contacting the inner wall of the container. Another concept of the invention relates to the provision of a plastic liner, e.g., a polyolefin liner, such as polyethylene film, to prevent direct contact of the hot combustible material within the container with the inner wall of the container. In another of its concepts, the invention relates to a combination candle or burning unit composed of a fibrous or cardboard container lined with a film of a plastic or equivalent material, the lined container being filled with a combustible material, such as a normally solid hydrocarbon, e.g., wax. In a further concept, the invention provides such a combination in which an ingredient or chemical is also cotained within the unit so that, upon combustion, the heat generated will vaporize said ingredient or chemical. In a still further concept, the invention relates to a combination of a combustible container containing a combustible material, such as wax, the combustible material being prevented from contact with the container wall by means of a liner suited to this purpose, at least the outer side of the container walls being rendered fire resistant.

In one form of the invention, there is provided an orchard heater. Accordingly, the invention will be described as it relates to an orchard heater. However, one skilled in the art in possession of this disclosure and having studied the same will recognize that the combination of the invention is applicable to units of various sizes and shapes, to containers made of many different materials, to liners made of many different materials and to contain many dilferent combustible materials and/or ingredients to be dispersed.

Orchard heaters are frequently placed upwind from a growing crop, as in an orchard and burned more or less continuously to combat weather conditions which may result in frost or other deteriorating conditions which otherwise may adversely affect plant growth. One of the problems which has been encountered more especially in rather windy Weather has been that the flames from the combustible material within the heater are whipped over and around the top thereof, causing premature consumption of the container with consequent loss of, say, the wax which is molten and which flows through at the burned side of the heater container. Also, such a condition is capable of spreading the flame onto the ground, thus spreading a friendly fire into an enemy one. It has now occurred to us that, by lining an orchard heater container with a film of material, such as a film of a polyolefin, e.g., polyethylene, the molten wax filled into the container is prevented from contacting the paper board and saturating the same and further that, by overlapping the top of the walls of the container with the polyethylene film, the film can be used in closed position of the liner to protect the top of the wax and the wick which normally is used and in open position can be turned down over the outside of the walls of the container protecting the same against damage due to the elements, such as rain. Further, the downturnedl film, to the extent it is somewhat fire resistant, delays attack of the fire upon the outside of the container walls. In one form of the invention, at least the outside of the container walls is impregnated with a fire resistant material, such as a silicate, for example sodium silicate (water glass). When desired, an insect repellent or insecticide can be provided within the container, for example as it may be mixed with the wax.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combustible article or candle. It is another object of this invention to provide a method for making a combustible article or candle. It is a further object of this invention to provide an orchard heater. It is a still further object of this invention to provide combination unit comprising a container of combustible material in. which means are provided to prevent the combustible material from an undue consumption of the container when the combustible material is desirably burning. It is a further object of the invention to provide a candle for heating, lighting or chemical or other ingredient disposition or vaporization, the candle having improved characteristics, for example, preservation of all of the combustible material therein so that it is burned only as and when desired.

Other concepts, objects and the several advantages of this invention are apparent from a study of this disclosure, the drawing and the appended claims.

According to the present invention, there is provided a combustible candle or article, for example an orchard heater or the like, comprising a container, film-like liner within said container and a combustible material within said film-like liner.

In one embodiment of the invention, the container is made of paperboard, the combustible material is a petroleum wax, a floating wick of vermiculite or popped volcanic ash is provided over at least a portion of the top surface of said wax and the liner extends sufiiciently above and over the top of the side walls of the container that it can be used to cover the wax therein in closed position of the liner and can be rolled down over the outside of the container to protect the walls thereof against the elements, for example against rain. A suitable wick material is the popped volcanic ash described in US. 2,637,702 issued May 5, 1953 to A. L. Burwell.

As liner material, there can be employed various plastic sheeting. A sheeting or film which has been used with good results is Marlex (a registered trademark) polyethylene which is a high density polyethylene made by a process which is described and claimed in US. 2,825,721 issued Mar. 4, 1958 to Hogan and Banks. Films Patented Feb. 18, 1969 of other materials can also be used. Such films may be fire resistant or may be readily consumable but should at least protect against absorption of the wax into the container wall during filling of the container and while the wax remains molten.

The liner in the container can be a single sheet or film of material which is merely folded into a fitting relationship in the container or it may be preformed. Further, several sheets of liner material can be used and these sheets can be attached to each other as by lamination or only at certain spaced points, as by heat sealing, providing cells or air spaces. Such seals or spaces can be filled with a gas other than air, for example nitrogen or other fireproof material. Further, the liner material can be a foamed plastic which, though it will prevent flow of wax to the container wall, nevertheless, will act to insulate against heat by virtue of its cellular characteristic.

In lieu of the solidified hydrocarbon or wax, the com bustible material suitably can be selected from other noncombustible materials, for example chemically impregnated sawdust, wood chips, briquets and the like. Or the hydrocarbon wax or other wax which is combustible can be admixed with any of the materials mentioned or other materials not mentioned.

In any event, the liner in the container according to the invention protects the container wall not only from soaking up molten wax when the container is being filled but also from doing so when the candle is being used. Thus, if wax impregnated wood chips are being used and the wax melts while some of it is being combusted, the molten wax will be contained within the liner and prevented from soaking into or onto the container wall.

Fire retardant or fire accelerating ingredients can be admixed with the combustible material or materials within the liner container of the invention.

When particles or pieces of material are filled into the lined container of the invention, a sufiicient portion of the liner extends thereabove so that the container liner can be used to seal against entry of moisture, dirt, etc.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a paperboard container, 2 is a polyethylene liner, 3 is hydrocarbon wax and 4 is popped volcanic ash added to the wax just before it solidifies so that it has become fixed into the surface and will act as a wick. The outside of container 1 has been rendered 'fire retardant with sodium silicate. Instead of sodium silicate, other material can be used to render'all or part of the container fire retardant.

In the' drawing, the embodiment just described shown with the upper portions of the liner folded over and down the sides of the container 1. It will be understood that this is the posture of the candle prior to use. In this embodiment, the liner is of sufiicient extent that it folds over and can be sealed across the top of the combustible material and the wick.

If desired, the liner can be so shaped and extended that, in position of use, it can be folded over the walls of the container and passed thereunder and crimped therearound so that it, in fact, forms a well in which the container is disposed. Thus, in the event of leakage of some wax before it is entirely combusted, the well will contain the wax for an extended period of time. Further, when used outdoors, this dish of material under the container will protect the container against deterioration due to water which may be thereunder as may be formed when it is used on ground covered with snow which may melt due to the heat being generated. Thus, a partly used candle which is snuffed out and left in the field can be protected by the unconsumed liner or plastic film and need not be put away between uses, as in the early spring and late fall when there may be alternate periods of heat, humidity, rain, snow, sleet, etc.

As an important feature of the invention, the liner reing the container and against loss of combustible material to the container.

It is within the scope of the invention to make the container of materials which are melted but not necessarily combusted by the fire of the container combustible material. Thus, the container may be made of a low melting point metal film which may even be somewhat porous in character.

Example Ordinary Z-gallon fiber drums were treated on their outside walls with sodium silicate solution and allowed to dry. The interior was lined with a polyethylene film 0f fire retardant grade. Liquid petroleum wax was poured into the container, Approximately 2 cups of vermiculite were added to the drum so that the vermiculite gelled across the top of the wax as it solidified. Each container held about 10-12 lbs. of wax when filled. The wax was ignited and burned at the rate of about 1 lb. per hour putting out an estimate 15,00020,000 B.t.u.s per hour burning under low wind conditions.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of this disclosure, the drawing and the appended claims to the invention the essence of which is that there has been provided a combustible a icle or candle, e.g., an orchard heater essentially consisting of a container lined with a container wall protective film of material, such as a plastic film, and filled with a combustible material, such as a wax, all as set forth and described herein.

We claim:

1. A combustible article comprising in combination a heat destroyable container, said container being lined with a separate liquid imprevious liner material said liner being composed of at least one continuum of material and being loosely placed into said container and extending substantially over the inner surfaces and up over the top of the container wall so that it will hang down over the outside thereof to an extent, said liner rendering said container impervious to liquids and said lined container containing a combustible substance.

2. A combustible article according to claim 1 wherein the container is a paperboard container, the liner is a plastic film and the combustible material yields a liquid as it burns.

3. A combination article according to claim 1 wherein the container is made of fibrous material, the liner is made of plastic film and the combustible material is a wax.

4. A combustible article according to claim 1 wherein the container is rendered fire retardant at least on its outside wall, the liner is a polyolefin film, the combustible material is at least a hydrocarbon wax and there is provided a wick material for burning of said wax.

5. A combustible article according to claim 1 wherein the liner extends sufificiently over the top and down the sides of the container wall in open position of the liner that it can be extended to underneath the container to protect the bottom of the container against ground moisture and the like.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,220 3/1942 Le Veille 126-595 X 3,179,505 4/1965 Johnson 12659.5 X 3,261,346 7/1966 Waddell et al. 6721 X 3,327,505 6/1967 Brown 67-21 CHARLES MYHRE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 126-595 

